Trunk.



PATENTED SEPT. 19, 190-5. 0. H. RICHARDS. TRUNK. APPLICATION FILED F1612, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed February 2, 1905. Serial No. 243,854.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. RIoHARDs,a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunks,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in trunks; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my trunk with lid fully open. Fig. 2 is an end view with parts broken away, showing the lid partially closed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 30f Fig. 4, showing the parts fully closed. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail showing the front connection between the top tray and its support, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofthe lid-stay detached.

Thepresent invention is a qualification and improvement on the construction of trunk shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 779,501, issued to me under date of January 10, 1905, and has for its object to provide means for the support of an additional tray beneath the top tray and to qualify the original construction in particulars Whose advantages will become better apparent from a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, T represents an ordinary form of trunk, and L the lid of the same. The upper tray or till 1 is supported on the side cleats 2 2 when the lid is closed, as in my patented construction aforesaid. Pivoted along the inner surfaces of the end (or side) walls of the trunk, immediately above the cleats 2 2, are swinging arms 3 3, oscillating in a vertical plane and being coupled at their upper ends to the angle-pieces or top-tray supports 4 4, the latter extending a suitable distance rearward to give support to the full dimension of the tray and being provided with upwardly-projecting extensions 4 4' for limiting the tray rearwardly, the free ends of said extensions being provided with a terminal wall 4, which prevents displacement of the tray in a vertical direction when once fully slid rearwardly over the tray-supports. I

Like in my patent aforesaid the arms 3 3 and angle-pieces 4 4 jointly form a folding frame for the support of the top tray- The highest position of this frame is that which corresponds to the vertical position of the arms 3 3, Fig. 1, the frame folding forwardly until the members 4 rest on the cleats 2 2, Figs. 3, 4, but being locked against further rearward movement by the construction shown best in-Figs. 1, 2, and 7. This construction may either supplement the provision made in my patent for the arrest of said rearward movement or it may be used effectively alone. It consists of a stay composed of links 5 6, pivotally connected to the angle-pieces 4 and lid L, respectively, and to one another, the link 5 being provided at a point opposite the link 6 and beyond the pivotal pin 7, by which they are connected, with a deflected lip or lug 8, which arrests the unfolding of the links to their full limit as the lid is being swung open. This arrest of the unfolding of the links into parallelism with one another effects an arrest of the lid at a point when the arms 3 3 have reached a vertical position and the dropping of the lid rearwardly beyond the position shown in Fig.1 is prevented.

To prevent spreading of the members 4 4 and to insure their hugging the sides of the tray 1, I provide the forward portions of the said sides with straps or loops 9, through which the forward reduced extensions 4' of the angle-pieces 4 4 are loosely received and guided.

As stated above, the present improvement makes provision for the support of asecond 'or supplemental tray beneath the tray 1, said supplemental tray 1 being picked up and lowered simultaneously with the top tray 1. This provision is as follows: Projecting inwardly from the horizontal member of each anglepiece or member 4, and removed from the plane thereof a distance measured by an offset 10 is a ledge 11, the ledges receiving the upper lateral flanges or plates 12 of said lower tray 1, by which arrangement said lower tray can be readily slipped under the top tray and raised and lowered in unison with it. To enable the tray 1' to be lowered or raised into position without fouling the rear upper edge of the trunk, I incline the rear wall 13 of said lower tray, thereby permitting it to clear the trunk-body in its movements.

Having described my invention, What I claim is 1. In a trunk, a folding tray-support comprising a pair of vertically-swingingarms pivoted to the opposite trunk-walls, members pivotally coupled to the upper ends of the arms, said members having forward extensions projecting beyond the front pair of arms, and open loops or straps formed on the tray for receiving said extensions, substantially as set forth.

2. In a trunk, a folding tray-support comprisinga pair of vertically-swinging arms pivoted to the opposite trunk-walls, a member pivotallycoupled to the upper ends of the arms, I5 rearward upwardly projecting extensions forming a part of said members for engaging the rear of the tray, and terminal Walls for said extensions for bearing against the top of the tray and preventing vertical displacement 2 thereof, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

CHARLES H. RICHARDS.

\Vitnesses:

EMIL STAREK, Jos. A. MICHEL. 

